Tuscaloosa-area home sales best for April since 2006

Published: Sunday, May 19, 2013 at 3:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, May 18, 2013 at 11:21 p.m.

Tuscaloosa-area home sales topped the 200 mark in April, making it the best April for home sales in seven years.

Some 206 homes were sold according to figures compiled by UA’s Alabama Center for Real Estate.

It was only the second time since 2003 that April saw more than 200 homes sold in the Tuscaloosa market.

In 2006, some 236 Tuscaloosa-area homes were sold in April. That was during the home-

buying boom and two years before the Great Recession hit.

“Sales will likely hover around the 200-unit level during early summer months,” said Grayson Glaze, ACRE’s executive director. “The market should continue to gradually improve.”

In March, 165 homes were sold in the Tuscaloosa market and in April 2012, 144 were sold.

Tuscaloosa-area home sales are up 15.1 percent for the first four months of 2013, compared with the like time in 2012.

The median price of homes sold in April was $149,300, down slightly from the $150,000 median price in March. The median price is the mid-price, meaning half of the homes sold for more and half for less.

Glaze said the median price of homes sold in the Tuscaloosa market rose by about 2.5 percent in 2012.

“The market continues on an upward pricing trend,” Glaze said.

Over the past 11 years, the median price for homes sold in April ranged from $128,900 in 2004 to $157,000 in 2008, the price peak that was reached before the nation’s housing market collapsed later that year, he said.

Single-family homes that had a previous owner continued to be most popular with buyers, accounting for 78 percent of the sales. Newly built homes accounted for 5 percent of the purchases and condos, 9 percent.

Some 1,498 homes were listed for sale in the Tuscaloosa area in April, with the average home sold being on the market for 110 days.

<p>Tuscaloosa-area home sales topped the 200 mark in April, making it the best April for home sales in seven years.</p><p>Some 206 homes were sold according to figures compiled by UA's Alabama Center for Real Estate.</p><p>It was only the second time since 2003 that April saw more than 200 homes sold in the Tuscaloosa market. </p><p>In 2006, some 236 Tuscaloosa-area homes were sold in April. That was during the home-</p><p>buying boom and two years before the Great Recession hit.</p><p>“Sales will likely hover around the 200-unit level during early summer months,” said Grayson Glaze, ACRE's executive director. “The market should continue to gradually improve.”</p><p>In March, 165 homes were sold in the Tuscaloosa market and in April 2012, 144 were sold.</p><p>Tuscaloosa-area home sales are up 15.1 percent for the first four months of 2013, compared with the like time in 2012.</p><p>The median price of homes sold in April was $149,300, down slightly from the $150,000 median price in March. The median price is the mid-price, meaning half of the homes sold for more and half for less.</p><p>Glaze said the median price of homes sold in the Tuscaloosa market rose by about 2.5 percent in 2012.</p><p>“The market continues on an upward pricing trend,” Glaze said. </p><p>Over the past 11 years, the median price for homes sold in April ranged from $128,900 in 2004 to $157,000 in 2008, the price peak that was reached before the nation's housing market collapsed later that year, he said.</p><p>Single-family homes that had a previous owner continued to be most popular with buyers, accounting for 78 percent of the sales. Newly built homes accounted for 5 percent of the purchases and condos, 9 percent.</p><p>Some 1,498 homes were listed for sale in the Tuscaloosa area in April, with the average home sold being on the market for 110 days.</p>